7 Popular Foods in Japan | Japan Guide

2016年4月21日 / 2016年5月14日

As Japanese cuisine called?Washoku?has been added to UNESCO heritage lists, it is getting popular and world-class food more and more all over the world. Here is 7 Japanese cuisine and food you shouldn’t miss out while you are in Japan. Definitely, you will love authentic Japanese cuisine.

No.7 OKONOMIYAKI

Okonomiyaki is savory Japanese pancake or Japanese pizza means “Grill it as you like”.
This Japanese street food is made of vegetables, seafood ot meat and flour-cased batter cooked on a hot griddle topped with mayonnaise, special sauce, seaweed and shaved dried bonito. There are lots of styles differ from region to region.?If you’re looking for a fun to get your eat on, okonomiyaki gives you another chance to try your DIY cooking.

The ingredients of okonomiyaki is usually served with all in the bowl and all you have to do is just mix it up.?Let’s lay it out and spread it to form a pancake on the surface of the iron plate. Once the bottom is cooked let’s flip it!?When both side are cooked as golden color, let’s DIY with the condiments and finish it with shaved dried bonito and enjoy your okonomiyaki.

No.6 TAKOYAKI

Takoyaki is mainly made of ?dissolved flour and eggs filled with the mixed batter. It is slowly into the bowl and the octopus pieces placed into the centre of each ball. ?Some others such as Tenkasu (crunchy bits of deep fried flour-dough) and dried shrimps are added slowly flipped the balls over and shaped each individual ball until the skin was crispy-grilled spherical shape and grilled to a deep golden color.

Takoyaki is served in a boat shaped container to absorb excess oil and prevent condensation, emitted a flavourful warm aroma because it is usually filled with pickeled ginger, green onion, mayonnaise, Tonkatsu sauce, Aonori seasoning and Katsuobushi which is shaved dried bonito.

No.5 SHABU SHABU

Shabu Shabu is Japanese hot pot, steam boat or Japanese DIY hot pot which is the most popular dishes along with Sukiyaki. The name might be familiar to you because it is very famous name of the song all over the world.

Shabu Shabu comes from the sound of cooking into the meat in the pot “swish swish”.?The origin is traced back to the Chinese hot pot as we can guess. It is usually served as winter food in Japan to make your body extremely warm or Shabu Shabu rings bell of holiday season to you to get together with your family and friends.

It is used mainly winter vegetables and slice of marbled beef, but it’s endlessly customizable. It is drawn with the beautiful color such as the dark green of Japanese leak and Shungiku, the light green of Hakusai, the white color of tofu, Shirataki and shimeji mashrooms, and thinly sliced of marbled beef.

Once it’s cooked, you are able to choose variety of sauce to dip meats and vegetables such as ponzu, sesame sauce, soy sauce and so on as you like. The sauce is also DIY with spring onions, garlic, sesame and so on. It is very fun to make your own Shabu Shabu with fire up the portble stove on the table and get ready a Nabe with your family and friends.

No.4 RAMEN

As a lot of ramen shops that is comparable to what you would find in Japan spread in to the whole world, you will see all Japan loves ramen. Many?varieties?of ramen such as miso-based, shio which is salt-based, shoyu consists of soy sauce-based, tonkotsu pork bone-based, and so on have been established in different region in Japan. Not only the choice of soup but also noodles and toppings such as char siew, half boiled eggs, seaweed, corns, leek and so on are variety. Definitely you will find your favorite ramen in Japan. You will commonly find ramen shops around train stations and busy roads as the same as yakitori bars.

No.3 YAKITORI

In between eating those obviously famous Japanese food, you might be also excited for tasty grilled meat on sticks known as Yakitori. It?is traditionally?refers to Japanese grilled chicken skewer, but nowadays not only all kinds of meat such as pork and beef but also seafood is used. It means vast with lots of selections. You will be amazed just how good grilled all meat?is.

Even though some of yakitori bars has been awarded by the?Michelin Guide, it is considered as a kind of Japanese street food. You can find the casual yakitori bars easily around stations especially at the business crowded area.

Those are the common types of yakitori you should try and you might have never tried before such as chicken liver, gyutan which is beef gangue, shiro which is chicken small intestine, bonjiri is chicken tails, and sunagimo?Chicken gizzard with salt or sweet sauce flavour like?teriyaki sauce. When ordering, specify the types of flavour.

No.2 TEMPURA

Tempura are crispy deep fried various seafood and vegetables coated with breadcrumbs. Surprisingly, it?has been invented to Japanese style from western style which is believed that the origin is Portugue.

Do not forget Tendon! It is tempura rice bowl which is made of deep fried tempura over a bed of rice covered with their original savour drizzling sauce on top. Sometimes, you will be amazed with the big prawns lying across with vegetable below.

Here is small tips to enjoy tempura. Matcha or wasabi flavoured salt will be recommended?as seasonings depends on the establishment while dipping sauces are usually served by a small bowl of grated daikon (white radish)

No.1 SUSHI

Seeing the beautiful Sushi in Japan makes you hungry for sure. As everybody knows, sushi is slices of fresh raw seafood?laid on vinegar rice with perfect balance. As you see this picture, Nigiri-Zushi is the best know outside of Japan referring to its Edo period origins.

You might be able to try those sushi across?Japan not only at fine dining sushi bars but also at the conveyor belt sushi restaurants called Kaiten Zushiwhere you can take random dishes from the conveyor belt.

If you would like to feel chef’s energetic, artistic performance with all the action in full view, you should visit sushi bar and sit down at the sushi counter. The dining experience might be unforgettable in your life.